Welcome to Digitally Downloaded’s weekly catch-up news feature, the catch-up coffee. I will bring you the best news you may have missed with each issue. Grab the biggest mug you’ve got, fill it with your favourite brew, and catch up with us (and our favourite news anchor, Dee Dee)!
Date Everything! has been delayed again
Now who/what will I date on Valentine’s Day?! Sandbox dating game Date Everything! was first from its October 24 launch date to what I felt was a more appropriate date, Valentine’s Day. The game was delayed again last week to a release window instead of a specific date. What a bummer. I’m about to become an Xbox widow and could have used the company. The reason given by the developer is that he underestimated the amount of time needed for QA with so many components.
Ray Chase, the lead designer for Date Everything!, said, “At this point I can confidently say that we have reached that point where the game is complete to a standard that we feel reached our goals with no compromise in our bonkers artistic vision,” said Ray Chase, the game’s Lead Designer, in a press release. “However… I was too confident that we could properly test ALL the wild amount of content and pathing that exists in this massive game, and unfortunately we ran out of time on our current (and yet so appropriate) release date.” He goes on to joke, “And yes, you actually can date the glitches. Their name is Daemon and I am currently in a Love/Hate relationship with them.”
Developed by Sassy Chap Games and published by Team17, Date Everything! will be released in June for PC via Steam.
The Executive launches later this month
Movie industry tycoon game The Executive is a Game Dev Tycoon-inspired game that replaces video games with films. The sandbox business sim brings you to Hollywood from the ’70s onwards. Become the founder of a new production company so you can make the movies you’ve always wanted to create. Hire the best team in the biz, research new technologies, and keep growing your box office income to become a heavy-hitter in the field.
To produce a movie, pick a theme, genre, and target rating. Then write the screenplay, cast your actors, and choose how to spend your budget. Once your movie is ready, decide on a distribution method before analyzing your competitors and selecting the perfect release date. You build franchises, monetize your back catalogue, and grow your studio. Most importantly, your path is up to you. Do you want to produce arthouse films? Are you seeking critical acclaim? Or do you just want to spend a ton of cash to make things go boom?
Developed by Aniki Games and published by Goblinz Publishing, The Executive will be released on February 11 for PC via Steam/GOG.
ILA: A Frosty Glide kicks off its crowdfunding campaign
The old trope of witches sitting on their flying brooms is so passé. ILA’s not just a witch, she’s a cool witch who prefers to use her broomstick while standing, as if it were a skateboard. A skatebroom, if you will. In ILA: A Frosty Glide, she loses her kitty and has to find it. The indie game’s developer has launched a crowdfunding campaign via Kickstarter, open until February 27 at 2 p.m. EST. There is also a new narrative trailer:
Ila is curious and kind. Coco, her small and affectionate black cat, is Ila’s last connection to her mother. From the instant her mother presented Ila with a tiny, dark kitten, she knew it was her responsibility to keep the little ball of fur healthy and happy. More importantly, Coco is Ila’s companion and most loyal friend. One night, Coco disappears. Afterwards, Ila dreams about an unknown place where a cold, fragile Coco is lost. She can’t ignore the dreams and sets off to find her best friend.
Developed and published by Magic Rain Studios, ILA: A Frosty Glide will be released for PC via Steam late this year. (The Kickstarter page states the estimated date is November 2025.)
Puzzle co-op game Parallel Experiment launches in March
Two can play that game… especially if they’re together and “that game” is Parallel Experiment, an upcoming indie co-op puzzle title. Work with another person to solve the Cryptic Killer’s twisted puzzles and escape their deadly experiment. It is the third game in Eleven Puzzle’s Cryptic Killer series. The first was Unsolved Case, which is available for free. It is a prequel to the second game, Unboxing the Cryptic Killer. Both give history on the detectives and their nemesis, but Parallel Experiment is a standalone title. A demo is available now, and the game will launch in about a month.
In Parallel Experiment, detectives Ally and Old Dog are on the trailer of the dangerous Cryptic Killer when they become his targets and, in turn, unwilling participants in his twisted experiment. It features escape room-type elements, and each detective only has half of the puzzle because they are often separated with different clues. The story is a noir-inspired adventure and the visuals are inspired by comic book art.
Developed and published by Eleven Puzzles, Parallel Experiment will be released on March 6 for PC/Mac via Steam. Versions for iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch will launch later this year and feature cross-play on all platforms.
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